Last week, I had the good fortune of attending my first ticker-tape Stanley Cup victory parade along with approximately 2 million of my closest friends. It was a celebration of an amazing 2010 hockey season by the Chicago Blackhawks. In the middle of the sea of humanity, I came to a realization: no matter what age or stage of our lives, it is necessary for us to celebrate our victories, big and small.

It’s great to celebrate big victories like the Stanley Cup, the World Series or first place at whatever. It’s especially nice when there are others around to celebrate these big victories with us (like at a ticker tape parade). Chances are, however, we’ll encounter a lot more smaller victories and milestones than larger ones. And it’s important we celebrate every one of the small ones.

For example, if you’re a writer, a big victory would be to finish your book or get it published. A small victory might be to finish a chapter or a set number of pages. If you’re looking for work, a big victory might be to find a job; a small victory might be to secure an interview or networking meeting.

These small victories make it possible for us to experience big ones. Celebrating a small victory doesn’t mean parties and trophies. Usually a small victory can be as simple as an acknowledgment that you’re getting somewhere and on the right track to something. Small victories may not feel like a victory at all – they might give us a smile or even be mixed with a serving of disappointment.

Back in the 1990’s, I took a year-long improvisation program which included weekly classes that led to our group putting on a show at Second City. For me, these weekly classes were challenging. I had many moments where things went well, I got a few laughs and felt proud of my performance. But I also had challenging moments where I felt like I wasn’t funny or felt like I made a fool out of myself in front of my classmates.

But that’s fine – I always looked at my weekly classes as a small victory no matter how well or how bad I did. I felt this sense of victory because I knew I learned something about myself and felt like it was bringing me closer to something bigger. And it did.

After I had graduated from the program in front of my friends and family at Second City, I felt much like the Chicago Blackhawks did when winning the Stanley Cup last week. It was an exhilarating experience and one of the greatest accomplishments I had up to that point in my life. I learned so many lessons from my experience – lessons of teamwork, listening, quick thinking, creativity and laughter.

My biggest victory was coming to the realization that I could accomplish just about anything I put my mind to and overcoming a mountain of fear and self-doubt. I learned that anything is possible. And that, my friends, is just about the greatest victory we can celebrate.

99 year old former UCLA coach John Wooden passed away Friday. While most of his greatest accomplishments occurred before I was born, I have a deep appreciation for what he stood for. In a world where “winning at all costs” is a mantra taught to amateur and professional athletes alike, Wooden preached something different: giving it our all and doing our best. I love that he believed that success wasn’t about trophies, awards or even money and status. He believed that only we can determine success for ourselves. While he was coaching, Wooden emphasized practice and the process of becoming the best team possible more than he emphasized winning. This philosophy, ultimately, led to his and his teams’ success.

Success is peace of mind that is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming. — John Wooden

Wooden compiled an amazing 620 – 147 record and ten world championships in his 27 years as coach of the UCLA Bruins. But I admire and appreciate that Wooden thought of himself as a teacher first. He taught his players lessons that could applied to their lives just as much as they could be applied to game situations. In other words, he made sure his players were well-rounded, decent human beings.

In the past few weeks, I will admit that I felt pretty indifferent about watching the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. I can still remember a young, sports nerd version of me watch the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team capture the gold medal, snatching glory from the heavily-favored Soviet Union team. As young as I was, I could sense how impossible that accomplishment was. As much as it was a life-changing moment for the young men on the ice that day, it still had a profound impact on my life as I watched in my living room.

Thirty years later, I’m much less impressionable and much more cynical than I was when I witnessed “the impossible” in Lake Placid, New York. But watching the Winter Olympics last week, I witnessed two amazing feats of sportsmanship, talent and pure desire that inspired me and caused me to really take notice.

The first feat was Lindsey Vonn capturing the gold medal for downhill skiing. She came into the Olympics as one big question mark with an injured and sore shin. Somehow, she pulled it together for an amazing downhill run that had her, at times, skiing on one leg. I’ve heard plenty of people with their conspiracy theories that she was never actually injured…but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt and say that I was amazed to see her flying downhill at a blazing rate of speed. Through hard work, determination and gritty effort, she pulled it off.

The second feat was Shaun White‘s gold-medal winning performance on the half pipe. I must confess, I’ve missed just about every X Games in history, but I was looking forward to seeing what Shaun White was all about. I will say that I was absolutely blown away by his snowboarding talents and abilities. It was obvious to me, a complete snowboarding newbie, that he is miles ahead of his competition. To sample a little bit of his magic, check this video out…

One thing is certain: no matter which sport we enjoy or which country we come from there are numerous stories of sacrifice and practice from countless athletes at the Winter Olympics. The best of the best. These athletes are great reminders to us that they are in Vancouver on purpose, not by accident.

For an interesting video and some insight about how Shaun White prepared for the Olympics, check out this post from author of The Talent Code, Daniel Coyle.